1. Technical Field
The invention relates to data processing in a multi-database system. More particularly, the invention relates to a system and a family of methods that provide for partitioning, storing, and searching data in a multi-database system.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Managing data in a single-database system is rather simple and straightforward. However, such database systems lack database scalability when demand for a higher database capacity arises. One solution to this problem has been adopting multiple databases. But, such systems suffer from speed degradation during data query processing. Specifically, when a user of such systems initiates a data query request, each database has to be searched even if the target data is in only one database. This data query processing is slow and inefficient.
For example, in prior electronic invitation systems, where each user may create invitation data, the invitation data is generally scattered among multiple-databases. When a user wishes to view an invitation he or she has received, a query for such information requires searching each one of the multiple databases. This data query technique is slow and inefficient. In addition, like single database systems, prior multiple-database systems lack scalability.
There is a need, therefore, for efficient multiple-database management and data query processing system and method that solve the above problems.